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L.. A. AMOU-ROUX.

MAGHINBFOR OPENING OYSTERS.

-No. 295, 11. Patented Mar. 25, 1884- g WITNESSES N. PETERS I,Wnifinglun. D. C-

UNITED STATES LOUIS A. AMOUROUX,

PATENT OFFICE.

or new YORK, n. Y.

MACHINE FOR OPENING OYSTER-S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,611, dated March25, 1884.

- Application filed August 31, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS A. AMOUROUX, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Machinesfor Opening Oysters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an improved machine for opening oystersin a quick and convenient manner; and the invention consists of asupporting-frame having standards for supporting a fulcrumed leverhaving a serrated jaw, against which latter the oyster is placed, and ofan adjustable standard that is rigidly locked to the slotted base of theframe, and provided at its upper end with a twisted and pointed knifefor severing. the butt or hinged part of the shell.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of myimproved oyster-opener, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan; and Fig. 3,a vertical transverse section of the same on line 00 m, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. I I

In the drawings, A represents the base of .my improved machine foropening oysters,

which base is provided with two uprightstandards, A, that are castintegral therewith or otherwise rigidly attached thereto.

To the standards A is fulcrumed a lever, B, having a serrated jaw, B.Aspiral spring, 0, is attached to the jaw of the lever B by a staple, b,and to a hook, I), of the base A. The spring 0 serves to move the leverin an opposite direction to that exerted thereon by the hand in pressingthe lever down. The base A per part with a twisted and pointed knife, 6,

is centrally recessed at a, and provided with transverse rods a whichare secured to the base. A detachable standard, D, engages by means of adownwardly-projecting hook, (I, on one of the transverse rods a as shownin Fig 1. In front of the hook d a metallic guardheel, d, is arranged,which bears on the next adjoining rods a, and secures thereby the rigidconnection of the standard D to the base A. The standard D is furtherprovided at its-upwhich projects forward, so as to enter the butt orhinged part of the shell. A face-plate, e,

of the standardD protects the face of the same, and serves to retain theknife e rigidly in position.

In operating my improved oyster-opening machine, the hook at of thedetachable upright standard D is first placed over any one of thetransverse rods a so as to be at any desirable distance from theserrated lever B, according to the size of the oysters to be opened. Theoyster is then placed with its mouthagainst one of the teeth of the jaw,while the butt or hinged end of the shell is placed against the knife.The lever is then pressed down, the

butt of the oyster forced against the knife, whereby the sinew thatholds the two halves of the shell together is severed by the pointed endof the knife, and the sections of the shell then moved sidewise of theirmeeting edges by the twisted portion. The shell is then opened by arecessed knife, by which also the oyster is removed. In this manneroysters can be quickly opened, and with great facility, even as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An oyster-opener consisting of asupporting-frame, a fulcrumed lever having a serrated jaw, an adjustablestandard having a fixed and twisting knife, and means whereby thestandard is rigidly locked to the base of the frame, substantially asset forth.

2. The combination of a base, A, having fixed upright standards A, and arecess with transverse rods a a fulcrumed lever, B B, an adjustablestandard, D, having a fixed and twisted cutting-knife, c, and a bottomhook, d, and heel, whereby the standard D may be rigidly looked to thebase at varying distances from the jaw, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS A. AMOUBOUX.

